D-Link DIR-817LW Router Port Forwarding Steps

Thumbnail image of Port Forward Staff
Port Forward Staff
January 20, 2017 (Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 4 minutes

Did you know your D-Link DIR-817LW router has a firewall? This firewall blocks connections to and from the Internet that it believes to be unsafe. Sometimes an additional open connection to the Internet is needed to help a game or program run smoother. This process of gaining an additional open connection is often called a port forward.

In this guide we will walk you through each step involved in creating a port forward for the D-Link DIR-817LW router. These steps are:

We think that forwarding a port should be easy. That's why we created Network Utilities. Our software does everything that you need to forward a port.

Get Started Now!

When you use Network Utilities you get your port forwarded right now!

Step 1

It is important to setup a static ip address in the device that you are forwarding a port to. This ensures that your ports will remain open even after your device reboots.

This step is important because you want a permanent IP address in your device. If you do not set up a permanent IP address in your device, then when you device reboots it may get a new IP address.

Use a VPN Instead

Have you considered using a VPN instead of forwarding a port? For most users, a VPN is a much simpler and more secure choice than forwarding a port.

NordVPN birthday deal!

We use and recommend NordVPN because not only is it the fastest VPN, it includes a new feature called Meshnet that makes forwarding a port no longer necessary for most applications. With NordVPN Meshnet, you can connect to your devices from anywhere in the world, completely secure, over a highly encrypted VPN tunnel.

Every time you click on one of our affiliate links, such as NordVPN, we get a little kickback for introducing you to the service. Think of us as your VPN wingman.

Step 2

When you login to the D-Link DIR-817LW router you need to use a web browser. This is because router's typically use a web menu. All you need to do is open up the web browser of your choice. It doesn't matter what you decide to use, simply pick your favorite. Some common options are Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

After opening the web browser, try and find the address bar. This is normally at the top of the page like this:

Image of a browser address bar
Browser address bar

Above is an example of what a web browser address bar looks like. Find the address bar in your router and type in your router's IP address.

The default D-Link DIR-817LW IP Address is: 192.168.0.1

Next, simply press the Enter key on your keyboard. This should take you to the login screen:

D-Link DIR-817LW Login
Screenshot of D-Link DIR-817LW Login.

Before you can access the router you need to prove you have authorization to do so. Simply enter in the username and password in the correct boxes.

Now that you have finished entering the username and password, press the Log In button.

Having Trouble?

This is a fairly common place to get stuck. Here are a few things you can try:

  • It is a good idea to try other D-Link passwords. If you have a slightly different firmware version you could have a different password as well. Here is our list of Default D-Link Router Passwords.
  • If you still are unable to login, it is because you changed the username and/or password in the past and don't remember what you changed it to. Why not try to guess what you changed it to a few times? If you need help, go ahead and use our Find Password App. It automates the process of trying thousands of different username/password combinations for you. Learn all about it on this Router Password Cracker page.
  • If after exhausting all the other troubleshooting options, it may be time to consider a reset. This type of reset erases every single setting you have ever changed in the history of this device. Learn how to reset the router on this How to Reset a Router page.

Step 3

Time to find the port forwarding section of the router. In order for us to help you, we start on the Home page:

D-Link DIR-817LW Home
Screenshot of D-Link DIR-817LW Home.

On this page, click the option at the top labeled ADVANCED.

D-Link DIR-817LW Virtual Server
Screenshot of D-Link DIR-817LW Virtual Server.

Now look in the left sidebar and click the option of PORT FORWARDING.

D-Link DIR-817LW Port Forwarding
Screenshot of D-Link DIR-817LW Port Forwarding.

You are now on the correct page to make a port forward entry.

Step 4

Here are the ports to forward for Xbox Live:

  • TCP Ports: 3074
  • UDP Ports: 3074

If you are looking for the ports for a different application you can find it by either:

Don't forget to sign up for NordVPN's promo deal before it's gone.

NordVPN faster than ever deal!

You might notice that most of our site doesn't have ads on it. This is because we use partnerships with companies like NordVPN to keep the site running. Thank you for supporting us by using our referral links.

In the Enable checkbox put a checkmark.

Create a name for this forward and put it in the Name box. The name is only used as a reminder and has no effect on the port forward.

Enter the IP address to forward these ports to into the IP Address box. If you are forwarding ports so you can run a program on a device other than your computer then you can enter your device's IP address into that box.

Enter the ports to forward into the TCP and UDP box.

The ports can be entered as a list 23,24,25, a range 500-600, or a combination of both 23,45,500-600.

Use the Schedule dropdown box to select Always.

From the Inbound Filter dropdown box select Allow All.

Testing Your Ports

It is always important to check your work when you have finished something. In order to test your port forward you need to see if the server is trying to connect or not. One way to check is to use our Open Port Checker. It is part of our FREE trial version of our Network Utilities. Our port checker uses a local application to listen for the server trying to connect. This way we can confirm whether or not your port is forwarded.

More Info...

If you are looking for more guides like this check out these guides here.

More router specific guides can be found on our site setuprouter.com.

More From Portforward